A year ago at this time Derek Merk was in his first year teaching in the Greene County schools, and was also in his first year coaching girls’ track & field. He had been a boys’ coach at a previous stop, but 2018 marked his initial year with girls. The Rams were led by Drake Relays high jump champion Megan Durbin, and the team had success overall.

Now, it’s year two in the school district and with coaching girls. The head coach talks about how this season has begun. “I think it’s helped having a routine down this year. The girls know what to expect and know how we run practices. We’ve established those relationships and it doesn’t feel like we’re always trying to catch up, which we kind of felt last year, so it’s been nice!”

The coach will take some of the more experienced athletes to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls on Monday for the first indoor meet of the season.